TEMPE — As non-conference play drifts into the rearview mirror for Arizona State, the Sun Devils (2-1) now look ahead to a new challenge on the horizon: Big 12 play.
ASU can learn from its first three games, which brought early frustrations that ultimately fostered signs of growth. The lone loss came on the road to Mississippi State, where mistakes doomed Sparky in its first loss of its highly anticipated season.
Still, the stretch helped the offense discover somewhat of an identity. One that involves protecting the football and leaning on the running game. Those lessons arrive just in time, as the competition only sharpens with the start of Big 12 play looming ahead.
For sophomore quarterback Sam Leavitt, the focus is less about what happened in early portions of September and more about what it will take in the weeks ahead.
“It’s a conference of margins, you have to win the details,” Leavitt said Tuesday morning at practice. “We talk a lot about the middle eight, taking care of the ball and just playing our game.”
“The games come down to the clutch, and we had five games last year that was [a] last-second touchdown or stop by the defense, so we understand what it takes now.”
Leavitt wrapped up an up-and-down non-conference slate that showed both promise and areas for growth. He threw for 527 yards with five touchdowns and three interceptions.
On the ground, his dual-threat ability added another layer to the offense, as he rushed for 157 yards and three more scores.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsCATCH HIM IF YOU CAN 💨
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) August 31, 2025
SAM LEAVITT TURNED ON THE AFTER-BURNERS FOR THIS 52-YARD TD RUN 😯 pic.twitter.com/JDvT1nRI6g
“I know that I can run, and the biggest thing was just not taking off too predetermined from last year,” Leavitt said after the Devils’ Week 1 win against NAU. “So I felt like that was one thing, I extended well, while pushing the ball down the field, which is one thing I really want to work on.”
Leavitt’s legs are only part of an ASU rushing attack that has hit its stride early this season. The Sun Devils lean on a three-headed backfield of juniors Kyson Brown, Raleek Brown and Kanye Udoh.
Raleek leads the tailbacks with 292 rushing yards on 35 carries, ranking second in the Big 12. His 8.3 yards per attempt places him second in the conference and seventh nationally.
“He’s just a guy who’s been putting in the work,” Leavitt said of Raleek. “Great kid, great teammate, that always brings the juice.”
Without running back phenom Cam Skattebo, the Sun Devils have relied on a trio of replacements in the backfield, who have combined for 514 yards. Kyson, listed as probable, missed most of the Mississippi State game and didn’t take the field against Texas State, but is expected to return in Week 4.
ASU will open its Big 12 journey on the road, traveling to Waco, Texas, for a prime-time matchup with the Baylor Bears. The two programs have crossed paths only once before, a 1990 contest that marked their lone meeting.
This time, the stakes carry added weight, as the Sun Devils step into unfamiliar territory against a Baylor team coming off a big 42-7 win over Samford University.
“They’re a good football team, they’re well coached,” Dillingham said. “I coached with their defensive coordinator at Oregon, and he’s one of the best defensive minds. They’ve got an unbelievable staff there, and they do a really, really good job putting pressure on you on both sides of the ball.”
The schedule won’t get any easier either, with matchups looming against Utah, Texas Tech and Iowa State — all of whom sit inside the top 25 of the latest AP poll.
A key to Arizona State’s success against top teams in the Big 12 will be Defensive Coordinator Brian Ward’s defense. While the group has shown flashes, it has also surrendered several chunk plays, something that has plagued them through three games.
“I really liked the consistency that we played, especially after the first quarter of the Mississippi State game, except for a few plays in between,” Ward said. “We’ve played consistent defense. We’re constantly trying to re-emphasize our fundamentals, the what to do, how to do and why we’re doing it. It’s a different mentality.”
Entering Week 4, the Sun Devils once again find themselves outside the AP Top 25 rankings, a familiar position from a season ago. Yet, Leavitt embraces being slept on, using it as fuel as the Sun Devils enter Big 12 play.
“I like it because we (have) got to get out of the mud, just like it was last year,” Leavitt said. “It’s the type of person and player I am. I don’t love all the praise. don’t work as hard when it’s like that.”
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